Color photography



H. (1.1. DEEKS.

COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY. APPLICATION FILED luNE 25,1914. Rwfwin Nov. 9.1920.

` 39,059, Patenteasepf. 26,192;

,gf lIn @fief/01', n@

patented Sept.. 26, lgZZ.

entran stares y Y iastate earner ortica,-

EIRAM C. J'. DREES, 0F SEA OLIFF, NEW YORK, SSIGNOR TO AMERICAN RAYLOCOR- PORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

A CORPORATION F DELAWARE,

COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY.

Application led .Tune 25, 191e, Serial No. $47,298. Renewed November 9,1920. Serial No. 422,989.

and useful lnvention in Color Photography,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the method of color-photography in which thephoto-I liti graphic record of the object is divided up into two, threeor more parts with the aid of suitable color screens and color sensitiveplates, and in which color elements or prints are made from the recordsthus obtained and are superimposed or blended together on white paper orother suitable base, to form a composite picture portraying the originaloblect in its true natural colors.

he object of my invention is to produce the several colored elements ofwhich a colored photographic 4print is composed, in purer and morecorrect hues, and to superimpose and blend them, in a manner simpler,more direct, more accurate and much quicker than has heretofore beenpossib-le, into a picture possessing the brilliant and beautiful colorsseen in nature to a greater extent than heretofore.

Inthe accompanyingr drawings, which dis close apparatus usedimerely forpurposes of illustration-Fig. 1 represents a film stretched tightly upona metal frame and having thereon three photographic element-s containingcoloring matter corresponding to the three primary colors; Fig. 2 is aysectional viewvthereof showing the surface in exaggerated relief; Fig. 3is a view showing .an apparatus for carrying out my invention and F ig.4 is a sectional View, on a larger scale, of part of this apparatus.

The preferred application of my invention will be more clearlyunderstood from the following brief outline:

I rst produce, upon Celluloid or other suitable and suitably mountedfilm, photographic reproductions: of the record negatives, by any of thewell known bichromate processes, in which the image is composed ofcoloring mattei' held in varying amounts by the gelatine, glue or otherorganic substance employed, proportionately according to the degree inwhich the said organic'substance, having been previously sensitized aswith bichromate,'has been altered by light. The coloring matter which Iuse in the present vreproduction is ma( e.

darac, in alcohol.

instance has the property of imparting its color to a' recording orpermanent film, conveniently a collodion film in an undried state, whenbrought into contact with the latter. Each of the reproductionsrespectively is made with a coloring matter which is complementaryto'the color screen used with the record ne ative from which the I then`transfer the reproductions thus produced; in the present instance bysuperimposing them in quick succession, with means for suitab-lepressure and accurate register, upon and into contact with a recordingfilm, preferably a collodion film; the transfer is made after it hasbecome set and before it is dry, and while spread upon White paper orother suitable In carryingout the illustrative form of my invention adesired coloring matter is first prepared in a very fine state ofdivision and which is insoluble in water or other developer-but issoluble in alcohol, ether or other similar solvent. This may beaccomplished by dissolving a dyestuff together with a resinoussubstance, such as gum san- The solution is then sprayed by means ofcompressed air and a `very small orifice in `any well known or suitablemanner, into a closed chamber whereby the solvent is evaporated and thedyed residue falls to the oor of the chamber in the form of a finely'divided colored powder and is readily collected. This coloring matter ispreferably prepared in different colors corresponding to the desirednumber of colors for example the three primary colors which thenegativesrecord, by using diffe-rent dyestuii's in the solution. For themagental l use preferably rhodamine, for the blue a mixture of methyleneblue and bril liant green and for the yellow auramine.

The several coloring mat-ters are next incorporated with a solution ofgelatine in warm water to which has been added a small quantity ofsuitable matter such as sugar orcorn syrup to prevent crackingof thefilm when dry. Separate solutions are made of each of the colors.

A sheet of film, such as transparent celluloid, having been previouslystretched tightly and fastened in a metal frame of suitable dimensions,or otherwise suitably held, is placed upon a levellin stand and thesurface is divided lateral y into the required number of, herein threeequal portions and temporarily marked by any suitable means. The warmsolution of' gelatine containing the several coloring matters are thenfiowed over corresponding portions of the celluloid sheet by pouringthereon the required quantities and spreading evenly with a glass rod.The magenta is spread over one portion, the blue over another and theyellow over the third. The composite film thus produced, after havingbecome se-t and dried, may be kept for a considerable length of timewithout deterioration and, when required foruse may be sensitized as byimmersion in a solution of potassium bichromate and dried in the dark,when it is ready for exposure under' the negative or negatives.

The three negatives for recording the primary colors of the objects aremade with selective color screens in any well known or suitable mannerand are preferably made upon a single plate and arranged in lateraljuxtaposition so that when the plate is placed Y in contact with theCelluloid sheet having tion to thereon the gelatine film containing thecoloring matter, the negative which has been made with the green screenwill be in posiprint the gelatine containing magenta coloring matter thenegativemade with the red screen will be in position to print thegelatine containing blue coloring matter and the negative made with theviolet screen wiil be in position to print the gelatine containingyellow coloring matter.

The sensitized composite gela-tine film is then-printed in the usualmanner `by placing it behind the negative in a printing frame andexposing it to light with the plain side of the Celluloid against thenegative, so that the light, coming through the negative, will pa nextthrough the film and will act first upon the gelatine laying next to thefilm. After sufficient exposure to light the composite print may bedirectly developed by immersion inwarm water in the usual manner, whenthe unaltered gelatine will be washed away leaving upon the film threepositive images consisting of insoluble colored gelatine in varyinamounts corresponding to the action 'o the light passed by the negative.

The images produced ulpon the Celluloid as above descrlbed are ilustrated in Fig.

1. 1 represents the metal frame, 2 is the` Celluloid sheet andi3, 4 and5 are the gelatine images containing respectively yellow, blue and.magenta colouring matter. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken upon theplane of the line A B of Fig. 1, 1 represents the metal frame,2 is theCelluloid sheet and 3, 4 and 5 indicate the insoluble gelatinecontaining the colouring matter.

To transfer the colors of the three photographic elements thus obtained,upon a filial support, I may use an apparatus illustrated in Figs. 3 and4, in which 6 represents a heavy roller designed to furnish sufficientpressure by means of its weight, riding upon rails 7a and 7b secured toa baseboard 8. The bar 9 is arranged to slide lengthwise betweenbearings 1()a and 10b secured to the baseboard and carries a frame 11hinged at 12a and 12b, adapte-d to hold, by blocks 13a, 13", 13c andthumbscrews 14a and 14", the frame 1 holding the Celluloid sheet havingthereon the photographic elements. ln the bearing 10b is a movable pin15 arranged to fit into the holes 16a, 16 and 16c of the slidingbar 9and lock the latter firmly in place during the operation oftransferring. The holes 16a, 16b and 16c are made in the bar 9 at adistance apart to correspond with the distance apart of the photographicelements '3, 4 and 5 on the cellulcid'sheet.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 4, 17 is a removable block having holes18l1 and 18b adapted to fit the pins 19a and 19b fastened inthebaseboard 8 and the shape and size of its upper surface corresponds tothe shape and size of one of the prints 3, 4 and 5. Block 17 serves tohold temporarily the final support of the picture, which final supportmay be, for instance. the sheet of white paper which is indicated at 20,having' spread upon its upper surface a film of collodion 21. Block 17also serves a bed to resist the pressure of the roller 6. The positionof the block 17 upon the baseboard 8 is so arranged that when themovable pin 15 held by the bearing 1()b is inserted in the left hand endhole 16d of the sliding bar 9 it will fit exactly under the left handend print 3.

It will be understood that when the slide 9 is moved along and the. pin15 is inserted in the holes 16b or 16a, the prints 4 or 5 will come intothe correct position opposite the block 17. i

The first step in the operation of this apparatus is to secure the slide9 in one position by inserting the pin 15 in one of the holes, say 16.The frame 1 holding the Celluloid sheet 2 is then placed on the frame 11with the side having the gelatine prints face downward and is securedthereto against the blocks 13a, 13b and 13c by the thumbscrews 14a and14". rllhe frame 11 is next raised lto an upright position from its suchas, for instance, a small quantity of sticky glue placed at the corners.The block 17 may then be removed from the baseboard and held in one handwhile the paper thereon is coated with collodion `by pourino' on a smallquantity and tilting the block to spread and run off the surplus, in theordinary manner. After a few seconds the collodion will have become setand the block is placedin4 its position on the baseboard. The frame 11is then lowered so that the colourin matter held by the photographicimage wil be brought into contact with the collodion film. A pad 22composed preferably of resilient material such as. for instance, rubberand of approximately the same size as the paper, is next placed upon thecelluloid sheet opposite the block 17. The roller 6 is then made to'runslowly along the rails 7a and7" over the pad 22 and back again to itsoriginal position. The pad 22 should be of sufficient thickness so thatthe roller, in

vpassing over it, will exert an even pressure upon, and force into closecontact, the photographic print with the collodion film.

The pad 22 is then removed and the frame 11 is raised to an uprightposition, when it may be seen that the collodion film has become dyed inexact proportion to the amount of colouring matter, in this case yellow,which 'was held by the photographic print.

rlhe pin 15 is next removed allowing the slide 9 to be moved along untilthe hole 16 is opposite the hole in bearing 10` and the pin may beinserted therein. The frame l1 is again lowered, the pad placed on thecelluloid opposite block 17 and the operation of rolling repeated. Uponraising the frame it may be seen that the collodion has become dyed bluecorresponding to the amount of colouring mattei' from the photographicprint 4. The blue has, however, become blended with the yellow of thefirst transfer and the picture appears therefore at this stage a mixtureof yellow and blue. The slide-is next moved to itsJfinal position andlocked there by inserting pin 15 in the bearing 1C)b through the hole16. rThe operation with pad and roller is repeated and the frame 11 israised. This last operation has dyed the picture magenta correspondingto the amount of colouring matter which was held by the photographicprint 5.

The picture will now appear complete, having become dyed the threeprimary colors. rThe paper forming the support of the picture may beremoved from block 17 by inserting a knife between it and the block andprying it from the glue which temporarily held it.

A point of real value in this invention is the fact that the action ofthe sol-vent of the collodion upon ythe ycolouring matter held by thegelatine, when brought into contact with the latter, is to instantlyrelease the l color from the gelatine and transfer it to,

' and dye therewith, the collodion. It will be be retained in an undriedstate until the nal transfer has been effected.

lt will be clearly understood from the above description that the filmof collodion upon the paper support has been dyed as many times as thereare 4colors used, herein a three times, first in yellow, forming anexact positive corresponding to the violet record negative, second inblue corresponding to the red record negative and third in magentacorresponding to the green record negative, thus forming a completeheliochrome.

Accurate automatic register of the three colors is assured since thespacing of the' three holes in the slide may be made to correspondexactly with the distance apart of the three negatives and consequentlyof the three prints made therefrom upon the celluloid sheet and carriedby the slide.

The correctness of hue of the three colors required may be readilyobtained because the admixture of dyestu's in the sandaracalcoholsolution used for making the colouring mattei', may be regulated asdesired and any basic dyestuff may be used. l

The brilliance of the colors is assured -though it involves the use ofsoluble color it renders unnecessary t-he use of dye baths whichheretofore were generally required to tint the positive images; amongother advantages of the present embodiment of my invention are .firstthe purity and brilliance of the colors obtainable; secondly blendingthe several colors in a single film without varying relief or thicknessbetween the col ors as in the dyed gelatine relief and carbon processes;thirdly securing accurate and automatic register of the several colouredphotographic elements andv fourthly the quickness and simplicity ofobtaining the composite print.

I have described somewhat in detail an illustrative method, embodying myinvention, of producing the photographic elements and mechanicalarrangements for supporting them and transferring the color from them,that may be employed, but it is understood that my invention is notconfined. to these and that various changes may be made therein Withoutdeparting from the spirit of this invention or the scope of my claims.

I claim l. The method of making a coloured photographic print whichconsists in dyeing a film containing 'a volatile solvent by bringing itinto contact with a photographic element holding a water-insolublecolouringr matter 'soluble in said volatile solvent.

2. The improvement in the art of color photography which consists inproducing a colored positive in relief in which coloring matter solublein collodion is held in suspension in a finely divided condition, andthen making a print therefrom on a sheet having a collodion film bypressing the film before it is thoroughly dry into contact with thecolored surface of the posi'- tive.

3. The improvement in the art of color photography which, consists inproviding a sensitive film containing a pigment which is insoluble inthe developer for said film, printing said film from the negative of thepicture to be reproduced, developing' said film, and then making a printtherefrom by pressing the same into contact With another film containingmeans to absorb the pigment from the first film.

4. The improvement in the art of color photography which consists infirst coloring 'a sensitive film, then printing and developing it inv adeveloper which will not dissolve the pigment therein, and finallymaking a print therefrom by pressing the same into contact With anotherfilm containin a solvent for the pigment of the first fiiin.

5. The improvement in the art of color photography which consists inproviding a sensitive film containing a pigment which is insoluble inWater but soluble in collodion, printing said film from the negative ofthe picture to be reproduced, developing said film in Water, and'thenprinting from said film upon a collodion coated sheet by contact beforethe collodion is thoroughly 6. The 'improvement in the art of colorphotography which consists in Aproviding a sensitive vfilm havingsegregated fields each containing a differently colored pigmentinsoluble in Water but soluble in collodion, producing upon each fieldof said lm a correspondingly colored positive by printing said film fromselective-color negatives and developing, and then making a print fromsaid positives by successively superimposing them upon and pressing theminto contact withv a collodion film before the latter is thoroughly dry.

7. The improvement in the art of color photography which consists inproviding a sensitive film having segregated fields each containing adifferently colored pigment in finely divided suspension and insolublein the developer for said film, producing upon each field of said film acorrespondingly colored positive by printing said film from selectivecolor negatives and developing the same, and then making a print fromsaid positives by successively superimposing them upon and pressing theminto contact with another film containing means to absorb the pigmenttherefrom.

8. The improvement in the art of color photography, which consists incombining a dyestuff vwith a. substance adapted `to protect it from theaction of the developer, incorporating the same in' a sensitive film,printing and developing said film, and `subsequently releasing saiddyestufi' from the said substance by the action of a suitable solvent;whereby the dyestuffI isunaltered by the action of the developer for thesensitive film but is set free at the proper time to produce the tintingeffect required.

9. 'lhe improvement in the art of colo!` photography. which consists incombining a dyestuff with a resinous substance, incor ol rating the samein a sensitive film, printing and developing said film, placing anotherfilm containing a. solvent for said resinous substance in contact withthe first film, to cause the dyestuff to be transferred from the firstfilm to the other film by the action of said solvent, and separatingsaid films after' such transfer.

10. The improvement in the art of color photography, which consists incombining a dyestuff with a resinous substance, incor orating the samein a sensitive film, printing and developing said film, and placing acollodion film in contact With the first film before the collodion filmis thoroughly dry.

1l. The improvement in the art of making colored photographs b v anyprocess in which single-color positives are produced fromselective-color negatives and then synthesized into a polychromecomposite, which improvement consists in introducing into the positiveelements before they are printed a. pigment containing a dyestufi" and asubstance to protect the dyestufi from the action of the developer.

12. The improvement in the art of making colored photographs by anyprocess in which single-color gelatine positives are produced fromselective-color negatives and then synthesized into a polychromecomposite, which improvement consists in introducing into the gelatineof the positives before' they are printed a pigment containing a dyestuand a resinous substance.

14:. ri`he process of making coloredk photo- 'graphs which `consists inproducing selective-color 'negatives of the thing photographed;producing therefrom single-color positives on films which have beencolored, before rinting, with 'a pigment containing a dyestu protectedagainst action from the developer; and producing a polychrome compositefrom said positives. y

15. The process of making colored photographs whichconsists in producingselective-color negatives of thelthing photo- 4 graphed; producingtherefrom single-color positives on gelatine films Whichhave beencolored, before printing, with a pigment containing a dyestui and aresinous substance; and producing a polychrome com posite from saidpositives.

16. The improvement'in the art of making i a colored photograph whichconsists in producing selective-color negatives of the thingphotographed, making therefrom positive images in color on a transparentsheet While the latter is held tightly stretched in a frame, and thensuperimposing the colored images upon a base While the frame is held insuccessive positions relatively to the base to bring each image insuccession directly over the base for registration with the other limages.

ln testimony whereof, l have hereunto aiixed my signature, thistwenty-fourth day of. June, 1914.

HIRAM C. J. DEEKS.

In the presence o- A AcnnRMAN G. OATMAN, Louis V. HINcHLmrfE.

